Diaphragivi water-elevator



Nd Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

J. B. ERWIN.

DIAPHRAGM WATER ELEVATOR. No. 533,449. Patented Peb.5,1895.

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ATTORNEYS (1W0 Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. B. ERWIN.

DIAPHRAGM WATER ELEVATOR.

No. 533,449. Patented Feb. 5, 1895.

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ATTORNEYS ilNiTED STATES PATENT @rurca...

JAMES B. ERlVIN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN.

DIAPHRAGM WATER-ELEVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Eatent No. 533349, dated February5, 1895.

Application filed June 16, 1894. Serial No. 514,725 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JAMES B. ERWIN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Milwaukee, in the county of Milwaukee and-State ofWisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in DiaphragmWater-Elevators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in diaphragm water elevators.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a device forincreasing the pressure of water fromcity water mains, Artesian wells,or other source, which is under too low a pressure for the elevationrequired, whereby at an expense of a part of the water which is used forpower, an equal quantity may be raised to twice the height that it wouldotherwise flow; second, to provide an auxiliary attachment throughwhich, by the use of an additional quantity of water as power in excessof one half, a less quantity of water may beraised to a proportionatelygreater height; third, to provide a device for automatically raisingwater from a cistern, or other source not under pressure, to a higherlevel, either by hydrostatic or pneumatic pressure, whereby water from acistern, lake or spring at a distance may be drawn or caused to flowfrom such supply into said water elevator, and from thence be forcedthereby through pipes to the various places of dischargein any story ofa building.

My invention pertains more especially to the peculiar construction ofthe valve mechanism, the form of the central clamping plates of thediaphragms, the auxiliary device for increasing the power of the machinewhen more than double the normal pressure is required and to such otherdetails as are more fully set forth in the claims.

The construction of my invention is further explained by reference tothe accompanying drawings, in which-- Figure 1. represents a front viewpartly in section. Fig. 2. represents a rear view, showing the powercontrolling valve mechanism and its connecting ducts in section. Fig. 3.represents an end view of the machine, and Fig. 4. is a detail, showinga top view of the duct communicating between the valve mechanism and thebody or lower part of the machine.

Like parts are referred to by the same reference letters throughout theseveral views. The water elevator proper, as ordinarily constructed andused, is made substantially as shown in Figs. 2. and 3., without thesooalled third or auxiliary end chamber, which is shown attached uponthe right in Fig. 1., and the invention will be first described asordinarily constructed without such end chamber.

The waterelevator as ordinarily constructed, consists of two receivers Aand B, which are respectivelysubdivided into two compartments 1) and E,by flexible diaphragms C. The diaphragms C are connected with each otherby the diaphragm rod I and clamping plates J J, whereby the pressure ofwater exerted against one diaphragm is communicated through saiddiaphragm rod to the other.

The water or other power medium is admitted to the power controllingvalve mechanism .1 through the inlet duct K, by the action of whichvalve mechanism it is caused to pass alternately toward the right andleft to the power receiving compartments D D. When the valve M is throwntoward the left against the seat N in the position shown in Fig. 2., thepower medium entering the chamber 0 through the duct K, is led towardthe right through the valve seat P, when it passes down through thepassages R and S to the duct T; thence rearward and toward the leftthrough the duct T as shown in Fig. 4 to the duct U; and from thence tothe compartment D upon the left in receiver B, whereby'the diaphragms GG and rod I are forced toward the right. As the diaphragm in receiver Ais thus forced toward the right, the water in the compartment D, of saidreceiver, is thereby forced out through the duct V; thence through thepassage XV, toward the left; thence up through the passage Y, past theopen valve A, and into the double valve seat B, and thenceout throughthe exhaustport C. The double valve seat B is closed at its opposite endby the valve D. When by the action of the power medium thus admitted,the dia phragms have been carried to theend of their stroke toward theright, the position of the power controlling valves is instantlyreversed and they are thrown toward the right, whereby the course of thepower medium is also reversed and led to the power compartment upon theright, while the water in the compartment on the left, which has doneits work, takes a reverse course and escapes through said exhaust port0.

Motion is communicated to the power controlling valves M A and D fromthe reciprocating diaphragm rod I, through the vertical reciprocatingbar H, spiral springs I I, reciprocating bar J, stops K, bracket G andvalve rods E and F. The valves M, A and D close with and are heldagainst their seats by the pressure of the power medium. The motion ofthe bar II is communicated to such valves through the spiral springs I Iand stops K K. As the pressure of the bar II is brought to bear againstsaid springs I I, they are partially compressed before their tension issufficient to overcome the resistance of the water against the valves,but as soon as the tension of such springs 18 in excess of the pressureagainst the valves,

'they will be forced from their seats, when by the recoil of thesprings, the valves will be simultaneously reversed with a quickpositive movement, whereby the movement of the operating mechanism isreversed. Thus, by the reciprocal action of the diaphragms and the powercontrolling valve mechanism, a continuous action of the machine ismaintained.

To prevent the valves from being reversed too quickly when under a lessthan usual pressure, and to provide for maintaining a uniform length ofstroke of the diaphragms under varying pressures of water, two yieldingspring supported stops L L are provided, which stops are held againstthe beveled ends of the rod J by the supporting springs MM.

Th'eresistance of the stops L to the movement of the rod J, is dependentupon the tension of the stop supporting springs M and the tension of thesprings is increased by contact of the tension screws 0 O. The screws 0O are supported above the springs in screw-threaded bearings formedtherefor in the brackets P P. Thus, by turning down said tension screwsagainst said springs M the resistance of said stops to the action of thereciprocating rod J is increased, and the stroke of the diaphragms willbe thereby lengthened, While by a reverse movement of said tensionscrews, the resistance of said stops will be diminished and the strokeof the diaphragms and the connecting rod will be shortened.

The bracket G is rigidly connected at one end to one end of thereciprocating rod .I, and its respective arms I) at its opposite end,are connected with the respective valve rods E F between the lock nuts AA B B. A

space is left between said lock nuts A B, to provide fora certain amountof lost motion of the valves independent of said bracket, which lostmotion permits said Valves to close with the pressure and to take upsuch wear as may occur between the valves and their seats.

To provide for supporting as large an area of the flexible diaphragms aspossible with the clamping plates, without diminishing the freedom oftheir movement by contact with such plates, I have limited the contactsurfaces of said clamping plates to but a small area at their centers,while at the same time the bearing and supporting surfaces of saidclamping plates are extended outwardly in close proximity to saiddiaphragms to near their peripheries, whereby, it is obvious that, owingto the large area'of the diaphragms extending outside of the contactsurfaces of the clamping plates, they will be free to'bend and move asmay be required without strain upon them; while, owing to the large areaof the clamping plates extending outwardly beyond their contact surfacesupon the respective sides of the diaphragms, the pressure brought tobear against said diaphragms, will be resisted and sustained by saidclamping plates, thus relieving said diaphragms of the greater part ofthe strain that would otherwise be brought to bear upon them, wherebythe liability of their being broken by a high pressure of the powermedium, is avoided. I do not, however, in this present application,present a claim for this peculiar form of construction of theclamping-plates, or for their combination and arrangement with thediaphragms and connecting-rod, but I do hereby reserve my right theretoas the subject matter of a subsequent application for a paten When morethan twice the normal pressure of the city water is required to raise itto the required height, an additional auxiliary receiver 0 is provided,by means of which, when it is of the same diameteras the others, thepressure is increased one third. The re ceiver C is subdivided into twocompartments D E by a flexible diaphragm F, and each of saidcompartments communicates with the respective power compartment D D ofthe chambers A and B, through the hollow diaphragm rod I, in the mannerfollowing. When the power medium is in the compartment D upon the leftin receiver B, it flows through the passages G and H into thecompartment D, where it exerts a pressure upon the left side of thediaphragm F, which diaphragm is connected to the diaphragm rod I throughthe clamping plates cl d, whereby the pressure exerted in compartment Dcooperates to force the water from the compartment E of the receiver B.\Vhen by a reverse movement of the valve, the power me dinm is led tothe compartment D of the chamber A, the water from such compartment isled to the compartment E of the receiver 0, through the central duct 1,when the water thus admitted into said compartment E, co-operates asdescribed, through the diaphragm and diaphragm rod with the water incompartment D in the receiver A.

Thus with each reciprocating movement of the valves, the water or otherpower medium is alternately thrown upon the respective sides of thediaphragm F in said receiver 0, and as it enters one of saidcompartments in the receiver 0, it exhausts from the other through thesame duct by which it entered.

The chamber 0 is supported from the chamber A, byaright and leftscrew-threaded coupling sleeve J, or other equivalent mechanism. I

ater enters the two central compartments E E alternately from the citywater mains or other supply, through the three-way duct K, and checkvalves M M", and it escapes from such compartments through the threewayduct L and check valves N N". To facilitate the construction of themachine, the check valves M M and N N, instead of being located in thebody of the receiving compartments, are preferably located in therespective ends of the three-way ducts K" and L. Thus said ducts K" andL serve the two-fold purpose of conducting the water to and from therespective receivers A and B, and as chambers or supports for the checkvalves.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a diaphragm water elevator, substantially as described, a valvemechanism consisting in the combination of the opposing valve seats Nand P; double faced valve M adapted to alternately close the respectivevalve seats N and P; valves A and D both screwed to the single stern Fand adapted to alternately close the respective ends of the double facedvalve seat B; valve seat B; valve stems E and F; valve actuating bracketG communicating between and adapted to simultaneously operate all ofsaid valves, and means for communicating a quick positive movement tosaid bracket and valves at the end of each reciprocating movement of thediaphragms, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

2. A device for converting the continuous slow reciprocating movement ofan actuating rod into a quick, positive, intermittent movement at eachend of the reciprocating movement of such rod, and transmitting suchintermittent movement to the valve mechanism, consisting in thecombination of the spring actuated rod J, rod supported springs I 1,spring supported stops L, stop supporting springs M M, said stops Lbeing adapted to resist and retard the movement of said rod J againstthe recoil of said actuating springs I 1, until the tension of saidsprings is in excess of the resistance of said stops, said actuatingsprings I I having stationary bearings at one of their ends on saidreciprocating rod, and moving freely thereon at their other ends; anactuating arm interposed between the free ends of said actuating springsand adapted to be alternately moved toward the right and left againstsaid springs, and means substantially as described for communicatingmotion from said reciprocating rod J to the power controlling valves,substantially as and for the purpose specified.

3. In a device substantially as described, for converting a continuousreciprocating movement of an actuating rod into a quick intermittentmotion at each end of said reciprocating movement, the combination ofthe spring actuated rod J, stop supporting springsl stops L, screwsupporting bracket P, and tension screw 0, said screw being adjustablysupported by said brackets in contact with said tension springs andadapted by such adjustment to regulate the resistance of the stops,-andstop supporting springs to conform to the action of the spring actuatedrod, substantially as and for the purpose specified.

4. In a water elevator, substantially as described, the device foradditionally increasing the power of the machine, consisting in thecombination with the receivers A and B and the diaphragms and clampingplates therein of an auxiliary receiver 0 a hollow diaphragm rod Icommunicating between said receivers A, B, and 0, said receiver 0" beingsupported from said receiver A; diaphragm F subdividingsaid receiver 0into two compartments D and E; tubular duct 1 centrally located in oneend of said hollow diaphragm rod and communicating from the powerreceiving compartment of said receiver A to the compartment E, saidhollow diaphragm rod being provided with an aperture H communicatingwith the other power receiving compartment of the receiver 13, throughsaid hollow diaphragm rod, whereby, as the water is alternately led toand from the power compartments of the receivers A and B, it will besimultaneously conducted through said hollow piston rod and said tubularpassage to and from the respective compartments D and E, allsubstantially as and for the purpose specified. I

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

JAMES B. ERWIN.

Witnesses:

W. E. S ronv, CLARA L. RoEsoH.

